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Abstract

Terrestrial consumers can influence forest regeneration, but few studies have investigated
the impacts of terrestrial consumers on freshwater ecosystems. I investigated the potential
for cross-ecosystem effects of hyperabundant moose on stream ecosystems in the Cape
Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia. I predicted that watersheds with higher moose impacts
would have higher stream temperatures, total nitrogen, electrical conductivity, periphyton
biomass, and macroinvertebrate abundances. I analyzed existing long-term data on 3rd and
4th order streams and conducted a field study on 1st and 2nd order streams to test for crossecosystem
impacts of moose in the Cape Breton Highlands. I found evidence for moose
impacts on total nitrogen and electrical conductivity. However, I found no evidence for
higher stream temperatures and periphyton biomass, with limited evidence of moose
impacts on macroinvertebrate abundances. This study provides insight into the effects of
large ungulates within and across boreal forest ecosystems with potential implications for
landscape-scale management of hyperabundant ungulates.